Digital Nomad Life: Month 122 and 123

I’ve been so busy with work and travel the past two months that I didn’t get my last month’s recap done, so I decided to combine the last couple of months.

Month 122 and 123 were both pretty great ones, all things considered (the current reality in the US and around the world is pretty grim if you haven’t noticed).

I had one more day in Powell River and I spent it hiking and swimming at lovely Inland Lake Provincial Park. The next morning I was up early for my long journey to remote Cortez Island involving three ferries and 1.5 hours of driving. After massive delays I finally got to Hollyhock Retreat Center just in time for dinner.

The four days I spent at Hollyhock were incredible. The setting, the nature, the animals, the people, the hot tubs, and the food, oh the FOOD! I loved it all and I am hoping to return next year.

From Hollyhock, I returned to Vancouver Island and spent a night in Victoria before taking a ferry to Vancouver and returning to site via a night in Bellingham.

Then our busy month of work began with five days working Watershed Festival. It was much more subdued this year than previous rowdy years, along with being cooler than normal. After Watershed, we had four days until the next show – Tedeschi Trucks – and after running errands and catching up on work admin the first couple of days, I picked up our German friend Christoph in Ellensburg.

We met Christoph in Zanzibar earlier this year and hung out for a few days so it was great to see him again. I took him to Washington’s own German town, Leavenworth for a day trip, then we went in to see Whiskey Myers, a Southern Rock band that was supporting Tedeschi Trucks. 

I took Christoph to Seattle to fly out after the show and we had a day to explore before I dropped him at the train in the evening. I spent the night and the next morning in Seattle before I had to head back to site for the next show, Bass Canyon.

Bass Canyon is our longest show at six days and it’s also the loudest. As the staff RV is right behind one of the stages, I had to move into Toby’s office onsite at the Oasis so I could get some sleep. We did go in one evening with a couple of our staff and met up with some of our favorite guests for some drum & bass – so fun!

After Bass Canyon, I had a mammogram and ultrasound, which both went better than expected, then I hit the road for five days, hiking and camping in North Cascades National Park, visiting a friend in Vancouver, and spending some time in Bellingham.

I returned to site in time for a fun staff BBQ at the Oasis, followed by the official staff party inside the venue which was the best staff party yet.

Then it was time for our last and busiest show of the season, Dave Matthews Band. Everything went well and I went into the venue a couple of times to see supporting acts KALEO and Goose, as well as Dave Matthews. 

I spent a couple of days packing up things onsite and the staff RV, then I drove to Woodinville via Bellevue to see Neil Young at Chateau Ste. Michele Winery, and he was fantastic. I stayed the night at a motel in Kirkland and then spent a few hours in Seattle the next morning before heading back to site for the last night of the year!

It was so smoky, so I left as soon as I could the next morning, driving six hours to Boise where I finally saw the sky without smoke after more than a week. Toby and Joni met me there a couple of hours later. The next night we stayed in Rock Springs, Wyoming then got back to Aurora where we spent two nights hanging out with family and getting ready for our first trip of the off-season.

And then I said goodbye to Toby and Joni and flew to New York to see my friend Dani and explore for four days, and what a fun time we had! I always love visiting New York, and we did a good mix of new stuff and old favorites on this trip.

I flew overnight to London from New York and spent a week there and it was so fun to return to my former home and one of my favorite cities in the world. Like in New York, I did a good mix of old favorites and new activities and also caught up with a couple of friends and even did a two-day cat sit in Greenwich.

The last day of the month I headed up to the Peak District where my friend picked me up and we continued on to Whitby, a seaside town in Yorkshire I have been wanting to visit for years.

Now onto the stats!

Countries Visited: Canada, USA, UK

Places Visited:

• Canada: Powell River, Heriot Bay and Quathiaski Cove on Quadra Island, Cortes Island, Victoria, Vancouver
• Washington: Bellingham, Issaquah, George, Moses Lake, Wenatchee, Ellensburg, Leavenworth, Seattle, Twisp, Marblemount, Quincy, North Bend, Bellevue, Woodinville
• Idaho: Boise
• Utah: Ogden
• Wyoming: Rock Springs
• Colorado: Aurora
• New York: New York
• United Kingdom: London, Bradwell, Whitby

National and State Parks, Monuments, and UNESCO Sites: Inland Lake Provincial Park in Powell River, Rebecca Spit Marine Provincial Park on Quadra Island, Mansons Landing Provincial Park and Kw’as Regional Park on Cortes Island, North Cascades National Park.

Islands Visited: Quadra Island, Cortes Island, Vancouver Island, Granville Island, Manhattan Island.

Days on the Road: 33 days.

Best Meals: Everything at Hollyhock Retreat Center on Cortes Island – some of the best food I have ever had; Pho Ga from Pho Thanh Brothers in Seattle; Pizza from Baby Luc’s, Mama’s Too! and Nate’s in New York City; Honey butter pancakes from Golden Diner in New York City; Mango sticky rice from Savory Thai in New York City; Hot honey, fried chicken, and pickle biscuit sandwich from Jacob’s Pickles in New York City; Vegetarian Full English breakfast from The Marylebone Corner in London; Cod fishcakes, halloumi and plantain from Salpike in London; Chicken and chips with stuffing and chicken skin salt from Wyndham’s in Borough Market in London: Botanical Afternoon Tea from Lanes of London in London; Mushroom, squash and beetroot Wellington with roast potatoes, carrots and parsnips, Yorkshire Pudding and red wine gravy from Traflagar Tavern in London.

Best Craft Beer: Goses from Townsite Brewing in Powell River, German Chocolate Cake Ale from Icicle Brewing in Leavenworth.

Hikes/Walks:

• Inland Lake Loop at Inland Lake Provincial Park in Powell River, BC 8.5 miles
• Rebecca Spit Loop trail in Rebecca Spit Marine Provincial Park on Quadra Island, BC 3 miles
• Kw’as Loop trail in Kw’as Regional Park on Cortes Island, BC 3.5 miles
• Green Mountain Trail on Cortes Island, BC 2.6 miles
• Eagle Bluff Trail on Cortes Island, BC 1.3 miles
• Hank’s Beach Trail on Cortes Island, BC 1.8 miles
• Blue Lake Trail in Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest, WA 4.75 miles
• Cascade Pass and Sahale Arm trail in North Cascades National Park, WA 12.5 miles
• Section of Sea to Sky Trail in Lynn Canyon Park in Vancouver, Canada 4.6 miles
• Arboretum loop trail in Seattle, WA 2.5 miles
• Richmond to Teddington Lock on the Thames Path in London 6 miles

Watching: A Discovery of Witches, The Hunting Wives, Wednesday Season 2, Bad Sisters, A Minecraft Movie.

Reading: How to Stop Time by Matt Haig, You Like it Darker by Stephen King, The Power by Naomi Alderman.

New Posts: No new posts this month.

Highlights

Everything About My Hollyhock Stay and Cortes Island

My four days at Hollyhock on Cortes Island was one of my favorite travel experiences ever. I have never stayed at a retreat center before but after my time there I definitely want to stay at more, as well as coming back to Hollyhock next year.

I saw so much wildlife from the beach and lodge deck, including whales, seals, bald eagles, and otters as well as experiencing some incredible bioluminescence one evening. The food was so good with lots of local fruit and vegetables from the extensive garden; I looked forward to every meal there.

I met some great people and had some fantastic conversations, did some beautiful hikes, swam in the lake and the ocean, and soaked in the hot tubs looking out to sea. It is such a cliché, but it truly is such a magical place.

Quick Visit to Victoria

I only had a night and a day in Victoria but I enjoyed being back for a short visit. I got to visit the Royal BC Museum for the first time and walk around the beautiful coastline (I saw more otters!) before catching a ferry back to Vancouver.

A Day Out in Leavenworth

With our German friend Christoph visiting, why not visit Washington’s own Bavarian town, Leavenworth? We swam in the river, walked the river paths, ate Gingerbread, went to a sausage garden for lunch, and tried some local beer. It was a fun few hours on a beautiful sunny day.

Seattle Fun (x2)

I visited Seattle twice over the last two months for short visits, spending a day showing Christoph around one of my favorite cities and a half day on the way back from seeing Neil Young at Chateau Ste Michelle. Christoph and I hiked in Discovery Park, watched seals catching salmon at the Ballard Locks, got ice cream in Ballard, visited Gas Works Park, and had fish and chips at a dive bar. I spent a night at an Airbnb then walked to Pike Place Market the next morning before heading back to site.

On my second visit, I did a loop hike around the Arboretum, visited Volunteer Park, and had lunch and checked out the shops in Capitol Hill. Seattle never disappoints in summer, and it is still firmly cemented as my favorite US city.

Going Into the Gorge For Shows

I went into the venue a few times for shows this month, including for Bass Canyon, to see Whiskey Meyers, KALEO, Goose, and Dave Matthews. I saw some incredible sunsets and I love experiencing the Gorge for different shows; it feels like a different place each time. 

Massive Relief After Having a Mammogram

After finding a lump in my breast, I was freaking out for weeks before I finally had my mammogram and ultrasound. Luckily, it was just a harmless cyst and that was such a massive relief. I had been putting my winter plans on hold until I found out the diagnosis and this meant I could start planning and booking my travel, which made me even happier.

Finally Hiking Cascade Pass and Sahale Arm

I have been wanting to hike Cascade Pass and Sahale Arm the last three summers in Washington as it is meant to be one of the prettiest hikes in the state. But I have always been thwarted – with the road either being closed for fires or landslides.

It was finally open this summer so I went for it, and what a hike! It was punishing at nearly 13 miles with 4000 feet of elevation gain, but so worth it. Waterfalls, spectacular mountain views, mountain goats, pikas, marmots – just wow.  

Return To Vancouver

I hadn’t planned on returning to Vancouver this month, but I cut short my camping plans in the North Cascades when I saw it was going to get really hot there and with Vancouver set to be cooler, it was a no-brainer to return to one of my favorite places in the world.

I spent a couple of nights there with my friend Megan and did a hike and a swim in Lynn Canyon, walked Coal Harbor and some of the Seawall to Third Beach, spent time at Jericho Beach and in Kitsilano, and grabbed lunch at Granville Island Market.

Gorge Staff Party

The staff party was so fun this year! There was an open bar and a taco buffet, but the best part was that we got to do karaoke on the main Gorge stage. Now I can say I have sung on the main stage at the Gorge – not many people can say that!

Seeing Neil Young 

I finally got to see Neil Young after his show was cancelled at the Gorge the past two summers. I got tickets to see him at Chateau Ste. Michele, a winery and concert venue in Woodinville, so I drove out there for a night. It is a much smaller venue than the Gorge and I found a spot on the side of the stage where I could still see him pretty well.

It was an excellent show and he played my favorite song – Old Man – as well as some others I love including Ohio, Harvest Moon, and Cowgirl in the Sand. I wish he had played Lotta Love and Heart of Gold too, but you can’t get every song you love when the artist has such a massive song catalogue.

Four Fun-filled Days in New York City

I always love visiting New York City, especially as one of my close friends, Dani, lives there and is the best tour guide (it is literally her job so I always appreciate when she plays tour guide for me too).

On this visit I did Dani’s excellent Williamsburg Tour, walked the Highline, had a cocktail at the Edge with views over Manhattan, did pizza crawls in the West Village and Brooklyn, visited the Met and the Met Cloisters, walked through Greenwood Cemetery, went to Timeout Market in DUMBO then walked the Brooklyn Heights Promenade, saw Operation Mincemeat on Broadway, and went for a stroll in Central Park.

A Day Out in Beautiful Richmond

Every time I visit London, I have to spend a day in my former home, beautiful Richmond. I chose a day that was forecast to be bright and sunny and it was glorious. I visited Richmond Green and the cute laneways off there, Richmond Palace, and walked along the river to Teddington. Then I walked to Ham and spent a couple of hours touring the house and gardens of Ham House and it was excellent – I can’t believe I have never been before.

I did run out of time to eat at one of my favorite pubs in London, The White Swan, but there will always be a next time.

London Markets – I Love Them!

One of my favorite things about London are all the markets; I even wrote a post about them. I visited a few during my week there including my favorite food market, Borough Market, as well as Greenwich Market, Spitalfields Market, the Brick Lane UP Market, Camden Market, Brixton Market, and the markets in Covent Garden. I was planning to make it to Portobello Market too but when I got sick I decided to miss it to get some rest instead.

Getting My Culture Fix in New York City and London

I definitely got my culture fix over my ten days in New York and London! As well as going to two shows – Operation Mincemeat and The Mousetrap (both were excellent) –  I also visited The Met and the stunning Met Cloisters in New York; Ham House, Eltham Palace, Cutty Sark, and the Queen’s House (Greenwich) in London, and had a very civilized and beautifully presented Afternoon Tea in Park Lane.

A Beautiful Evening in Whitby

The last day of the month I arrived in Whitby in the evening and after dropping our bags at the cottage, we decided to go for a sunset walk, and what a gorgeous walk it was. The sunset colors on the ocean were just incredible and Whitby is such a scenic place anyway but I couldn’t help but think I was seeing it at its very best.

Lowlights

Delays For the Cortes Ferry Both Ways

Catching the ferry to and from Cortes Island ended up being an absolute nightmare. There aren’t many ferries each day and the ferry only holds about 30 cars, but as I was traveling on weekdays I thought it would be OK – it wasn’t.

I got to the ferry line over an hour before the scheduled ferry I wanted to take (you can’t make reservations) and there was already a long line. Well, I missed that one and was the second to last car on the next ferry two hours later. 

Coming back, everyone I spoke to about it on Cortes said there wouldn’t be a line but when I turned up 20-minutes before the ferry was due to leave, they were very wrong and I couldn’t get on that ferry and had to wait two hours for the next one.

You would think during the summer they would put more ferries on or get a bigger ferry – the demand is definitely there.

Scary Night Camping

I stayed at a small, forested campground in Marblemount the night before my Cascade Pass hike in my car. I had stayed there before last year with no trouble but this time I heard some noises outside the car in the early hours of the monring and got really freaked out. To make it worse, two of my window covers fell out and I couldn’t get them back up which made me feel very exposed.

Needless to say, I didn’t sleep much and I decided to drive the 2.5 hours to Bellingham after the hike to get a motel rather than camp there again.

Breast Cancer Scare

One of the scariest things over the last couple of months was finding a massive lump in my breast. I already had a mammogram scheduled but when I mentioned I had found a lump when I was about to get the mammogram they wouldn’t let me get it. I had to have a manual exam and then book another mammogram two weeks later. 

I freaked out the whole two weeks and put off booking my Europe trip in case I had breast cancer. I had to get a mammogram and an ultrasound and it turns out that it is a harmless cyst; in fact, I have a ton of them, so it is nothing to worry about. The relief I felt was indescribable.

Long Border Wait Coming Back From Canada

Coming back to Washington from Canada on a Sunday made me decide to try the quieter Pacific Highway border crossing rather than Peace Arch and I immediately regretted it. My lane was literally the slowest lane because it was on the left-hand side and the lane on the right fed into two lanes further up so they were moving twice as fast.

I waited for TWO HOURS, the longest I have ever waited at the border. I think they may have been having a computer issue too. I will never be using that border crossing again.

Bad Smoke in Washington

The smoke for the last ten days I was in Washington was terrible and I developed dry, sore eyes and a cough, and just didn’t feel good. On the day I left, it was really bad and I nearly had a panic attack as I was leaving because it felt so heavy and claustrophobic. I am so glad to be out of it now; not seeing the sky for ten days was not good for my mental health either.

Ridiculous Bill For Medical Services

I am done with the US medical system now for good after getting a $900 bill for my mammogram and ultrasound despite having medical insurance. Seriously, what is the actual point of having medical insurance if you are expected to pay so much out of pocket? 

Cold and Grey in London

Going from warm and sunny New York to cold and grey London was a bit of a shock to the system! There was some sun during my week there but not as much as I had hoped there would be for mid-September. I still made the most of my time there though, despite the weather.

Losing Some Beloved Staff Members at Work

We found out that two of our Live Nation workmates that we really liked won’t be coming back next season, and it won’t be the same without them. I can’t really say more about it than that.

Getting Sick in London

I unfortunately caught a cold during the end of my time in London and although it was mild, I was coughing, sneezing and feeling under the weather for three days. Luckily I was still able to get out and about although I also took more time to relax and recuperate which helped me get better quickly and I am feeling 100% again now.

Bad Hostel Experience

I spent my first four nights in London at a hostel to save money in a city that is very expensive and I regretted my decision. I was in a female dorm with some very loud and inconsiderate roommates, I was on a top bunk (hate), and the bed was super narrow. I also caught the cold I had from someone in my room.

I think next time I need to find a housesit for the whole time or stay in one of the small, inexpensive hotels in the city – I liked my Kings Cross hotel even though the room was tiny.

Spending

I don’t include international flights in my recaps. Some of my costs are shared with Toby or other travel partners.

Total: USD$5034

Accommodation $1418

My 18 nights of paid accommodation for the month consisted of one night camping in Powell River, four nights in a dorm at Hollyhock Retreat Center on Cortes Island (this cost includes three meals a day there as well), one night in a hostel dorm in Victoria, one night at an Airbnb in Seattle, one night camping in Marblemount, two nights at a motel in Bellingham, one night at a motel in Kirkland, one night at a motel in Rock Springs, four nights in a hostel dorm in London, one night at a hotel in London and one night in a vacation apartment in Whitby.

My 44 nights of unpaid accommodation for the month consisted of one night at a hotel in Bellingham (on points), 31 nights in the staff RV onsite at the Gorge, two nights staying with a friend in Vancouver, one night free camping in the RV in Boise, two nights in the RV outside a family member’s house in Denver, four nights staying at a housesit with a friend in New York City, one night flying overnight from New York to London, and two nights housesitting in Greenwich (London).

Food and Drink $1426

Not terrible for two months of eating and drinking, especially as it has been expensive eating out in New York and London. This doesn’t include the meals at Hollyhock as that was paid as part of the accommodation package.

Clothing/Shoes $154.50

• Hiking boots $86
• PJ shorts $8.50
• Sandals $38
• Tank top $16
• Dress $6

Transport $583

• Gas $231.50
• Ferry from Powell River to Vancouver Island $50
• Ferry from Campbell River to Quadra Island $24.50
• Ferry from Quadra Island to Cortes Island $28
• Ferry from Victoria to Vancouver $55
• Parking $1.50
• Vancouver SeaBus $3
• Rideshares to Neil Young concert $34
• Subway in New York City $34
• Airtrain to JFK Airport $8.50
• Tube in London $68.50
• Train from London to Sheffield $34
• Train from Sheffield to Hope $10.50

Activities $230.50

• Royal BC Museum $22
• Operation Mincemeat on Broadway $73
• The Mousetrap in the West End $40.50
• Ham House Entry $23
• Jack the Ripper Museum $19
• Cutty Sark Museum $30
• Eltham Palace $23

Other $923

• U.S. Phone plan x 2 months $70
• OneDrive monthly storage x 2 months $4
• Garmin monthly subscription x 2 months $28
• Spotify monthly subscription x 2 months $28
• Netflix x 2 months $8.50
• Toiletries $160
• Carry-on suitcase $43
• Showers $1.50
• Donations $196
• Carwash $10
• Cat stuff $64
• Souvenirs $28.50
• Aeropress filters $9
• Walk-in clinic $60
• Portable charger $26
• Apple TV subscription $7.50
• International Driver’s License $26.50
• UK Visa Waiver $22.50
• Hand bag $39.50
• Travel Insurance for One Month $93

Website Costs $89

• Monthly payment for Keysearch x 2 $24
• Siteground Tech Support $65

Vehicle Costs $210

• RV and van insurance x 2 months $153
• Oil change for car $57

What’s in Store For Next Month

I will be starting the month in Whitby, where we have two days to explore, then we will be heading back to the lovely village my friend lives in the Peak District for one night. Early the next morning I’ll be taking a couple of trains and a flight to Athens, where I will have one night before Toby joins me for another two nights. 

I love Athens and I am excited to return. Toby has never been so we will be doing all the touristy things and eating lots of delicious Greek food.

From Athens, we will be taking the train up to Meteora to visit the incredible monasteries there and then we’ll be heading to Corfu for five days – hopefully the weather holds out. We’ll be taking a ferry from there to Saranda in Albania and traveling through Albania for around two weeks, visiting the coast and the ruins of Butrint as well as Gjirokaster, Berat, Tirana, Shroder, Theth, and Valbona.

We will also be visiting Lake Ohrid and Skopje in North Macedonia, and Prizren in Kosovo this month and I am really excited to visit two new countries for me.

To read additional Monthly Recaps, you can find them here